Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nasty” come from?

Nasty derives from Middle English naxte, from Old Norse nask-, of unknown ultimate origin and meaning.

nasty (English): Dirty, filthy; Contemptible, unpleasant;...

Definitions

  1. Dirty, filthy; Contemptible, unpleasant;...

Ancestry of “nasty”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishnasty—
2Old Norsenask-—

Words derived from “nasty”

  • nastiness
  • nastily
  • nastyass
  • unnasty
Every word from Old Norse nask- →